Fullerton Airport welcomes public for Airport Day
Today, he oversees Airport Day in his capacity as manager of Fullerton Airport, operated under the city's Public Works Department.
'I credit this airport with starting my passion for aviation, so [I] definitely want to share that with others and especially with the kids,' O'Reilly said. 'There's so many things to get kids into trouble these days. They got to have something to look forward to and to learn about or to aspire to.'
Fullerton's Airport Day is a free, open house designed to let local families and individuals see the workings of the municipal airport and possibly inspire future careers in aviation, along with educating about other city departments. This year's event takes place Saturday, May 31, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., and is slated to offer exhibits, displays, plus food available for purchase. Airplane and and helicopter rides will also be available for a fee.
'It's an opportunity to showcase all the other departments in the city that do vital stuff, like Public Works fixing streets and sewers, and they take care of all the water systems, landscaping,' O'Reilly said. 'They bring out trucks, like those big vector trucks that clean out rain gutters. And the kids … absolutely love that stuff.'
He said the Fullerton Police Department also attends with SWAT demonstrations and often with their K9 unit too. The Fullerton Fire Department brings out a large fire truck and opens it up for children to tour.
'It's just a very good little family event,' he said. 'We love to see kids out here, so we market to all the local schools. … Last year, we had tons of families with kids, running around and very excited — so it's a lot of fun.'
O'Reilly said Fullerton College's Drone Lab will also attend Airport Day with drones on display as well as demos with their robotic dogs. The International Plastic Modelers' Society will have model airplanes on hand to teach children how to put them together.
'I built a lot of models as a kid because I was fascinated with airplanes and helicopters,' O'Reilly said. 'That's always a really cool thing, too.'
The airport, which was officially founded in 1928 — but dates back to as early as 1913 when crop dusters used the site as a landing strip — houses various organizations, flight schools, public safety agencies and private aircraft owners that fly out of there. Orange County Fire Authority, California Highway Patrol, Anaheim Police Department and Mercy Air ambulance all fly out of Fullerton Airport.
'We have two chapters of Civil Air Patrol here on the field, so the cadets meet every Tuesday night here at 6 p.m.,' O'Reilly said.
'Mostly Airport Day is just a chance for the public to come in and see all the stuff that goes on here really because just the layout of this airport, you don't really get to see much from outside the fence.'
Cameron LaFont, chairman of the Fullerton 99s, part of the larger Ninety-Nines nonprofit, said their local chapter was founded in 1974 at the Fullerton Airport.
'The Ninety-Nines were founded in 1929 when a group of women pilots desired to convene in order to support each other and the advancement of aviation, and to create a central office to keep files on women in aviation,' she said. 'They struggled to establish themselves and grow but in 1931, Amelia Earhart was elected the first president and the group selected the name Ninety-Nines to represent the 99 charter members. It has been a growing organization ever since.'
LaFont said this year at Airport Day, the Fullerton 99s will be offering short intro plane flights in General Aviation Aircraft for a donation of $50 per person. The funds raised go to support their scholarship fund. They offer two aviation training scholarships totaling $3,974 that they award each year.
'We will have four to six aircraft that will make many flights that day, introducing young and old to the amazing thrill of flight in a small aircraft,' LaFont said. 'All pilots start off in small aircraft and it's our hope that we will ignite the passion for aviation in a young person or two that day. We will also be at our booth educating the visitors about our organization.'
The Aviation Explorer Program is also housed at Fullerton Airport and will be represented at the event. Tim Lloyd, advisor for Aviation Explorer Post 445, said the program offers hands-on activities and networking with aviation professionals in various careers. The program is for those ages 14 1/2 through 21 who are interested in a career in aviation or who enjoy airplanes. Aviation Explorer Post 445 has been part of the Fullerton Airport for more than 15 years.
'Participants experience firsthand what it's like to be a pilot, aircraft mechanic, flight engineer or air traffic controller,' Lloyd said. 'They learn about the educational requirements for a career in aviation and receive tangible advice on steps they can take to prepare and position themselves for a successful career in the field of aviation.'
Aviation Explorer Post 445 members will be answering questions about aircraft on display during Airport Day.
'This event is important because it showcases a wide variety of aviation career opportunities, as well as having aviation as a hobby,' he said. 'We'll have private pilots giving rides as well as police and fire aircraft and pilots. The Aviation Explorers are experienced young people who know their way around an airplane and can ensure people enjoy the airplanes and at the same time protect the airplanes from damage.'
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San Francisco Chronicle
26-06-2025
- San Francisco Chronicle
How queer Gen Zers are transforming the S.F. nightlife scene
It's a Thursday night in the Mission District and a glitter-drenched crowd of 20-somethings are gathered around a dance pole in the middle of a cozy apartment. Some take turns twirling around and twerking on it while others lounge nearby, sipping drinks and swapping hugs. Cheers erupt above the booming music every few minutes as guests trickle in — some in torn jeans and T-shirts, others in bikini tops and fishnets — filling the room with sweaty, kinetic energy. But the house party is merely a warm up to the evening's main event: Queen Out, a new rave series shaking up San Francisco's queer nightlife. Queen Out, founded by Jimmy Hadden and Abby Landis, launched in February as a direct response to what they observe as a stagnant queer nightclub and bar scene in the Castro. While the neighborhood has long been celebrated as a haven for gay men — particularly white men who sought refuge there in the 1960s and '70s — the two say it hasn't evolved with the diversity of today's LGBTQ community. With Queen Out, they aim to create an inclusive alternative, particularly carving out a space for Gen Z and younger millennials. Hadden, 29, and Landis, 26, met at the inaugural Portola Festival in 2022, quickly bonding over their shared music taste. Landis, who is of Taiwanese descent, has been performing under the moniker DJ Mama San for five years and began throwing queer parties in the summer of 2024 after growing frustrated with the lack of sapphic-focused nightlife options. Hadden, who is a bisexual Black man, also observed 'it's very homogenized' in the Castro. Queen Out seeks to challenge that status quo. 'It's a kind of bucking the trend and pushing back against kind of what the culture has been,' Hadden said. DJ China G, a Chinese American artist and mentor to Landis, noticed a similar need in the early aughts and filled the gap by co-founding Rebel Girl, a lesbian party series that ran from 2000-2009. Queen Out, the Generation Xer believes, is channeling that same spirit. 'It's a refreshing, inclusive and much needed alternative to the mainstream nightlife scene in the Castro,' DJ China G said. 'It's beautiful to witness this next generation of queers carrying the torch.' The monthly event has become so popular that this month — notably Pride Month — marks the first time they've hosted multiple events. The duo also had to move it from the nearly 500-capacity The Cafe — the largest gay bar and club in the Castro, where they sold out their first four Queen Out parties — to Public Works, a Mission District venue that holds 1,200, for their most recent event on Juneteenth. 'I feel like a lot of queer BIPOC people don't get a lot of spaces like this, so it's important that when they're available to us we take advantage of them,' said Lia Kitahada, a 25-year-old Japanese American lesbian who lives in Hayes Valley, during the party on Thursday, June 19. 'More events like this are needed.' Queen Out feels especially urgent amid renewed political attacks on LGBTQ rights from President Donald Trump and his administration. From anti-diversity, anti-equity and anti-inclusion policies to the weaponization of the law against transgender people and the shut down of the national suicide hotline for LGBTQ youth, events like these serve as vital affirmations of queer identity and solidarity. 'Community is always important, but especially in a time like this' said 24-year-old Berkeley resident Hallie Macaulay, who identifies as a white gay woman. Queen Out, she noted, brings like-minded people together 'to really lean on each other and feel less alone. It's a major thing that gives hope.' Hadden agreed these events are crucial, particularly for those actively involved in LGBTQ advocacy and resistance. 'It wears on you,' he said. 'You need spaces to queen out, so that you can recharge your battery.' 'We need a place where we can just feel safe and shake ass and have fun,' Landis, who identifies as queer and uses they/them pronouns, added. 'Otherwise the world can feel like it's way too much.' In addition to hosting the parties, Landis and Hadden have been donating a portion of Queen Out proceeds to various LGBTQ charities. Thursday's event benefited the Marsha P. Johnson Institute, which defends the rights of Black trans people. Both Hadden and Landis research talent for each Queen Out event, scouring the internet for up-and-comers and pulling from their own ever-expanding music libraries. As DJ Mama San, Landis has spun at several local events and is slated to perform at the Outside Lands festival's queer open-air dance floor, known as Dolores', on Aug. 8. But they chose to sit out the Juneteenth Queen Out party to make room for Black artists to shine. That night's lineup featured R&B pop artist Bayli and DJ Prosperity Room, both based in New York, and Bay Area DJ Queermom, who helped fill Public Works by 11 p.m. The crowd of at least 500 moved fluidly throughout the two-floor venue, with those on the dance floor bathed in colorful lights and fully immersed in the thumping hyperpop music, which included remixes of tunes by Whitney Houston, Doechii and Charli XCX. There wasn't a phone in sight. In bathroom lines and tucked-away corners, strangers exchanged Instagram handles and fashion praise. It was clear this wasn't a typical night out at the club — Queen Out felt like true community, a place for queer people to find genuine connection. 'I think we brought a whole new generation of club kids to the Castro,' Hadden said of their Queen Out events at The Cafe. 'I really hope what we're doing spreads … to all of San Francisco, all of the Bay.'
Chicago Tribune
20-06-2025
- Chicago Tribune
Fireworks 2025: All the Fourth of July shows in the Chicago area
With the Independence Day holiday comes fireworks — read on to find the best displays near you. Downtown Chicago fireworks at Navy Pier are every Wednesday at 9 p.m. and Saturday at 10 p.m. through Aug. 30, including at 10 p.m. Saturday, July 5; more at Almost a hundred Chicago-area communities are listed below, many with celebrations spread out over the Independence Day weekend (July 4 falls on a Friday this year). If no time is mentioned, most displays begin at dusk (about 9:15 p.m.) and last about half an hour. Antioch: Parade at 10:30 a.m. July 4, followed by festivities at 4 p.m. and fireworks at a new site at Sequoit Creek Park (845 Main St.); Arlington Heights: The local Frontier Days Festival at Recreation Park (500 E. Miner St.) is back, running July 2-6. The parade is 10 a.m. July 4; more at But no community fireworks display for 2025. Aurora: The city of Aurora will host an Independence Day fireworks display on July 3, best viewed from Aurora Transportation Center (233 N. Broadway Ave.) with music from DJ Suave Smooth; and McCullough Park (150 W. Illinois Ave.) with music from DJ Pena. Parade in downtown Aurora (from Benton and Broadway) at 10 a.m. July 4; Barrington: Main Street parade at 10 a.m. July 4, then fireworks at 9:30 p.m. at Barrington High School (616 W. Main St.); Bartlett: The town's Fourth of July Festival returns to Community Park (corner of South Bartlett and Stearns Roads). Skydivers at 7:35 p.m. July 4, then fireworks at 9:15 p.m. Festivities continue through the weekend, including a parade at 10 a.m. July 5; Batavia: The Batavia Sky Concert will be 9:30 p.m. July 4 in Engstrom Family Park (326 Millview Drive), with fireworks set to music; Beecher: The Fourth of July Commission for the town of Beecher will host the 4th of July Festival from July 2-5. Look for fireworks at 9:30 p.m. July 4 at Firemen's Park (675 Penfield St.); Bensenville: The Independence Day Parade kicks off the celebration at 10 a.m. on July 4, starting at Town Center (12 S. Center St.) and ending at the Redmond Recreational Complex (545 John St.). LibertyFest begins at 6 p.m. Fireworks will be launched from the Public Works facility at 9:30 p.m.; Berwyn: Gates open for fireworks at 8 p.m. July 3 at Morton West High School (2400 Home Ave.); Blue Island: The Fourth of July Parade will run from Prairie Street on Western Avenue, beginning at noon July 4. Fireworks have not yet been announced; Bolingbrook: Grounds open at 3 p.m. July 4 for music and food vendors at Bolingbrook Golf Club (2001 Rodéo Drive), with fireworks at sunset; Bridgeview: The annual fireworks at Commissioners Park (8100 S. Beloit Ave.) have not yet been posted; more information at Brookfield: The Brookfield Fourth of July Parade has a new route for 2025, starting at Garfield Avenue and heading south on Grand Boulevard. Fireworks have not yet been announced; Buffalo Grove: The annual celebration at Willow Stream Park (651 Old Checker Road) begins with a patriotic-themed concert at 7 p.m. July 4 with the fireworks display at 9 p.m.; Burbank: Party in the Park with a carnival, music and food will be June 26-29 in Narragansett Park (77th St. and Narragansett), with Saturday night fireworks at 9:45 p.m. June 28; Burr Ridge: The Pleasant Dale Park District's fireworks will be at dusk July 3 in Walker Park (7425 S. Wolf Road). Food vendors and family fun begin at 5:30 p.m.; Crystal Lake: Fireworks at dusk July 6 at Main Beach (300 Lakeshore Drive). The parade will kick off at 1 p.m. at City Hall, finishing at Lakeside Festival Grounds; Deerfield: The Deerfield Family Days is back in Shepard Park (440 Grove Place) with live bands, carnival games and food vendors from 5:30 p.m. July 3 and fireworks at dusk. Then a parade at noon July 4 begins at Deerspring Pool (200 Deerfield Road); DeKalb: The celebrations are in Hopkins Park (1403 Sycamore Road), with music and festivities starting at 4 p.m. July 4. Fireworks at dusk; Des Plaines: The community plans a fireworks display June 29 at Oakton College (1600 Golf Road), with gates opening at 7 p.m. and fireworks at 9:15 p.m. Then a parade at 10 a.m. July 4 from the intersection of Center Street and Wicke Avenue; Downers Grove: The Village of Downers Grove Independence Day Parade is 1 p.m. July 4, from Main Street and Grant. The joint Woodridge-Downers Grove fireworks display is 9:30 p.m. July 4 (corner of 75th Street and Lemont Road); Elburn: The Lions Club of Elburn will present a fireworks show on July 12 at Lions Park (500 Filmore St.). Food and nonalcoholic concessions will be sold; Elgin: The parade kicks off at 9 a.m. July 4 at the intersection of Douglas and Slade. Later, there will be food, a pie-eating contest and concerts in Festival Park (132 S. Grove Ave.) and the night will end with a fireworks display on the Fox River; Elk Grove Village: The village's celebration begins with a concert with Cheap Trick music at 8 p.m. July 4 on Rotary Green (164 Lions Drive) and fireworks at 9:30 p.m., sponsored by the Lions Club; Elmwood Park: The village's Fourth of July parade will start at 9 a.m. July 4 at 78th and Fullerton Avenues, ending in the Circle. Gates open for the holiday celebration at Elmwood Park High School (8201 W. Fullerton Ave.) at 6 p.m., Sucker Punch plays at 7:15 p.m. with fireworks at 9:30 p.m.; Evergreen Park: The 55th annual community parade and fireworks will be on June 27, with the parade at 6:30 p.m. from 95th and Springfield, followed by fireworks at dusk at Martin B. Duffy Park (92nd and Ridgeway); Evanston: Parade at 2 p.m. July 4 on Central Street, a live band in Dawes Park at 7:30 p.m. and fireworks at 9:30 p.m. at the lakefront; Fox Lake: Celebrate Fox Lake has a parade that starts at Grant Community High School at 10 a.m. June 28, then an event 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. at Lakefront Park (10 Riverview Ave.) with fireworks at dusk; Fox River Grove: The town's annual fireworks event opens 6 p.m. July 12 at Picnic Grove Park with music and food before the show; Frankfort: The celebration begins at 7 p.m. July 4 at Main Park (200 S. Locust St.) with music and fireworks at 9:15 p.m.; Glencoe: Party in the Park at Lakefront Park (99 Park Ave.) begins 5 p.m. July 3, with live music, food trucks and fireworks over the lake from 9 p.m. The Independence Day Parade steps off at 1 p.m. July 4 in downtown Glencoe; Glen Ellyn: The Fourth of July Parade begins at noon at Memorial Park, with fireworks at dusk at Lake Ellyn Park (645 Lenox Road); Glendale Heights: The annual Glendale Heights Fest is back July 10-13, with a carnival and live music, plus fireworks at 9:30 p.m. July 13 in Camera Park (101 E. Fullerton Ave.); Glenview: Northwest suburban Glenview has a parade at 11:20 a.m. July 4 and fireworks show at 9:20 p.m. in Gallery Park (2001 Patriot Blvd.) with music beginning at 6 p.m. and the Glenview Concert Band at 7 p.m.; Gurnee: Fireworks are 9:45 p.m. nightly July 3-5 inside Six Flags Great America (with regular park admission); Also village fireworks for Gurnee Days on Aug. 9; Harvey: The city's celebrations begin at 2 p.m. July 4, with a parade, a carnival and fireworks at 8:30 p.m.; Hawthorn Woods: Fireworks are planned for 9:15 p.m. July 3 at Community Park (5 Park View Lane), with the park opening at 3 p.m. for live music and food vendors; Highland Park: The village plans Independence Day events beginning on July 3 with a festival at the Preserve of Highland Park (1207 Park Ave. W). After a remembrance ceremony at 9 a.m. July 4, the downtown parade returns at 11 a.m., beginning at First Street and Laurel Avenue. No city fireworks or drone show for 2025; Hoffman Estates: The Northwest Fourth-Fest runs July 2-6, including a carnival, live music, a parade along Illinois Boulevard at 9 a.m. July 4, a drone show at 9:30 p.m. July 4 at Village Green, and fireworks 9:30 p.m. July 5 at NOW Arena (5333 Prairie Stone Parkway); Huntley: After a Main Street parade at 4 p.m., the Independence Day fireworks show begins at about 9:30 p.m. July 4 in Deicke Park (11419 IL-47); Itasca: The Village of Itasca has announced that Fourth of July fireworks have been canceled for 2025 due to construction around Hamilton Lakes; Joliet: Joliet Slammers baseball games include fireworks the nights of June 20 and July 4 at Joliet Slammers Stadium (1 Mayor Art Schultz Drive); La Grange: Fireworks from La Grange Country Club will be 9:30 p.m. July 3. The usual viewing space for nonmembers in Waiola Park (corner of 47th Street and Waiola) is closed for construction through October; Lake Forest: The 18th Annual Lake Forest Festival and Fireworks will be July 4 at Deerpath Community Park (400 Hastings Road), set to music. Gate opens for a concert at 5 p.m., fireworks at dusk; Lake Zurich: The annual Independence/Family Day at Paulus Park (200 S. Rand Road) begins 10 a.m. July 4 with music and food vendors. Then fireworks are launched over the lake at about 9:15 p.m.; Lemont: For Freedom Days 2025, a July 3 celebration at Centennial Park (16028 W. 127th St.) opens at 4 p.m., with live bands at 6 p.m. and fireworks at 9:30 p.m.; program guide at Libertyville: The fireworks event at Butler Lake Park (835 W. Winchester Road) begins with a concert by the Village Band at 7:30 p.m. July 4 at the Band Shell, followed by fireworks at 9:30 p.m.; Lincolnshire: The annual Red, White and BOOM! festival will be July 3-4, with food and entertainment July 3 in North Park (1025 Riverwoods Road), followed by a 10 a.m. parade, 2 p.m. cardboard boat regatta and 9:30 p.m. fireworks on July 4 in Spring Lake Park (49 Oxford Drive); Lisle: The village will have July 3 fireworks at Community Park (1800 Short St.) at 9:30 p.m. Also, live music begins at 5:30 p.m. on the Van Kampen Stage. On July 4, a parade kicks off at 10 a.m. from Lisle Junior High School (5207 Center Ave.); Lockport: City of Lockport and Lockport Township Park District are hosting the annual fireworks show on July 3 at dusk in Dellwood Park (corner of Woods Drive and Highway 171); Lombard: The village plans to host fireworks at dusk on July 4 at Madison Meadow Park (East Madison Street and South Ahrens Avenue); McHenry: The city's fireworks will be 9:30 p.m. July 13 as part of Fiesta Days at Petersen Park (4300 Petersen Park Road). Fiesta Days will be July 10-20 with carnival rides, live music, an art fair and a July 20 parade; Mokena: The village's annual fireworks will be at 9:30 p.m. July 3, with music starting at 5 p.m. in Main Park (10925 W. La Porte Road); Morton Grove: The Morton Grove Days festival July 3-6 has fireworks July 4 at dark at Harrer Park (6140 Dempster St.). Plus a parade at 2:30 p.m., as well as live music and a carnival all weekend; Mount Prospect: The 86th annual Mount Prospect Lions Club Festival will be July 2-6 at Melas Park (1500 W. Central Road) with a carnival, music and fireworks on July 2 (short show) and July 4 at 9:30 p.m.; Mundelein: The Mundelein Community Days 2025 will be June 29 to July 6, mostly near Seymour Avenue and Crystal Street. Fireworks are 9:30 p.m. July 4, with a parade from Mundelein High School (1350 W. Hawley St.) at 1 p.m. July 6; Naperville: The Naperville Salute will not be held this summer, but community fireworks will be 9:30 p.m. July 4 at Frontier Sports Complex (3380 Cedar Glade Drive); New Lenox: Fireworks at 9:15 p.m. July 4 at New Lenox Village Commons (101 Veterans Parkway), with music by Billy Gray Music at 6 p.m., followed by music by the Joliet American Legion Band for the display; North Riverside: The Fourth of July Parade will start at 10 a.m. July 4 on 9th Avenue and 26th Street. Then music and food vendors, including a concert by Hello Weekend, starting at 7 p.m. at Village Commons (2401 S. DesPlaines Ave.), followed by fireworks provided by the Riverside Golf Club; Northbrook: Fireworks at dusk July 4, which can be seen from Techny Prairie Park and Fields (1750 Techny Road) and Meadowhill Park (1479 Maple Ave.). Plus other events all day, including a parade at 4 p.m. from Westmoor School (2500 Cherry Lane); Oak Brook: The annual Taste of Oak Brook returns at 4 p.m. July 3 at the Village Sports Core Fields (700 Oak Brook Road). Fireworks and drone show at dusk; Oak Lawn: Fireworks at dusk (at 9 p.m.) July 4 at Richards High School (10601 Central Ave.). Come back between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. July 5 to help with cleanup; Oak Park: The Village of Oak Park plans a parade at 10 a.m. July 4 from Longfellow Park (Ridgeland Avenue and Adams Street), but no fireworks this year; Orland Park: Independence Celebration begins on July 4 with a pet and kids bike parade at 5 p.m., then a concert at 5:30 p.m., followed by Presentation of Colors and fireworks at 9:30 p.m. in Centennial Park West (15609 Park Station Blvd.); Oswego: Fireworks will be at dusk July 4 at Prairie Point Park (4120 Plainfield Road); Ottawa: A fireworks event begins at 8:45 p.m. July 4 on the Fox and Illinois Rivers at Ottawa Township High School (201 E. Main St.); Palatine: The Palatine Jaycees Hometown Fest runs July 2-6 in Community Park (256 E. Palatine Road). Fireworks at dusk July 3 and a parade beginning on Wood Street at 11 a.m. July 5; Palos Heights: Inflatables and games from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. July 3 in Community Park (south of Route 83 on 76th Avenue). At 5 p.m., food and music start in Memorial Park (7600 W. College Drive), followed by fireworks at 9:15 p.m. A parade kicks off at noon July 4 on Harlem Avenue; Park Forest: A concert featuring Carla Prather at the Village Green (349 Main St.) followed by fireworks at 9:15 p.m. on July 4; Park Ridge: Live music at 8 p.m. and fireworks at dusk July 3 at Maine East High School (2601 Dempster St.); Pingree Grove: The community's Independence Day Celebration will be July 11-12. A parade starts at 4 p.m. July 12 at Alta Vista Drive and Wester Boulevard, and Mad Bomber fireworks are planned at 9:30 p.m. at Cambridge Lakes (1125 Wester Blvd.); Rochelle: After a Municipal Band concert, the fireworks will be at dusk July 5 in Atwood Park (10th Avenue and 20th Street); Romeoville: Three simultaneous fireworks shows at 9:30 p.m. July 3 at Lukancic Middle School (725 Normantown Road), Volunteer Park (1100 Murphy Drive) and Discovery Park (300 S. Highpoint Drive); Rosemont: The west suburban Parkway Bank Park (5501 Park Place) hosts an annual 'Rockin' In The Park' free concert series. A concert featuring a Bob Seger cover band at 7 p.m. July 4 will have post-show fireworks; Round Lake: Fireworks will be 9:15 p.m. July 5 near the Round Lake Beach Cultural and Civic Center (2007 Civic Center Way), with bands and festivities for Beachfest beginning at 5 p.m.; Sandwich: The annual Sandwich Freedom Days is back with a 10 a.m. July 5 parade, then fireworks at dusk at Sandwich Fairgrounds (1401 Suydam Road); Schaumburg: The popular way to see fireworks in Schaumburg is to catch a Schaumburg Boomers baseball game at Wintrust Field (1999 S. Springinsguth Road). There will be fireworks after select home games, including July 3-5; Skokie: The town hosts a downtown parade at noon July 4. It's followed by a family festival at 6:30 p.m. at Niles West High School (5701 W. Oakton St.), with fireworks at 9:30 p.m.; Sleepy Hollow: A daylong holiday celebration July 4 includes a parade at 11:30 a.m. in Sabatino Park (Winmoor Drive and Thorobred Lane). Then the fireworks are 9:30 p.m. July 6, with gates open at 7 p.m.; South Holland: A Family Fun Festival runs noon to 4 p.m. July 4 at Veterans Memorial Park (500 E. 160th Place), followed by fireworks at dusk; Spring Grove: The July 4 celebration will include a noon parade at Winn Road and Highview Street and fireworks at dusk, best viewed from Thelen Park (8516 Winn Road); St. Charles: The St. Charles Park District is planning fireworks at dusk on July 4, launching from Langum Park. Best viewing will be on the south side of downtown St. Charles, plus parts of Langum Park (50 Devereaux Way) and Mt. St. Mary Park along Geneva Road (look for a red balloon during the afternoon to check your view); Tinley Park: Festivities in McCarthy Park (16801 S. 80th Ave.) kick off with live music by Five Guys Named Moe at 4 p.m. July 4, with fireworks at 9:30 p.m.; Vernon Hills: The parade will start at 9 a.m. July 4 at the corner of Deerpath and Atrium Drive. Music begins in Century Park (1002 Lakeview Parkway) at 7 p.m., followed by fireworks around 9:15 p.m; Wauconda: The Big Bang fireworks celebration is dusk July 3 at Bangs Lake; Waukegan: Music for ROCK in the U.S.A. begins at 6 p.m. July 4 at Green Town on the Rocks (175 N. Harbor Place). Fireworks will be 9:30 p.m. at the Waukegan lakefront; Warrenville: Organized by the Warrenville Friends of the 4th, the celebration kicks off with festivities in Cerny Park (4S150 River Road) at 5 p.m. and a parade at 6 p.m. July 3. Then fireworks at 9:15 p.m. July 4; Westmont: The Independence Day Celebration will begin at 4 p.m. July 4 at Ty Warner Park (800 Blackhawk Drive), with fireworks at 9:30 p.m., launched from the Willow Crest Golf Club north of the park. Also, food trucks and music; Wheaton: Independence Day will be celebrated with a carnival from 5:30 p.m. and fireworks and drone show around 9 p.m. July 3 in Graf Park (1855 Manchester Road), plus a downtown parade at 10 a.m. July 4; Wheeling: The village's Rock 'n' Run the Runway event is June 28, with bands from 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. and fireworks at 9:15 p.m., all at Chicago Executive Airport (1080 S. Milwaukee Ave.); program at Wilmette: Fun & Fireworks is planned for July 3; festivities and music begin at 5 p.m. and fireworks at dusk at Gillson Park, on the lakefront north of the harbor; Winnetka: The Fourth of July parade starts at 10 a.m. July 4 at the corner of Elm Street and Glendale. Concert and the Jesse White Tumblers begin at 7 p.m. at Duke Child's Field (1321 Willow Road) before fireworks at 9:20 p.m.; Woodridge: The annual 4th of July Picnic is 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Castaldo Park (3024 71st St.) Later, the joint Woodridge-Downers Grove fireworks display is 9:30 p.m. July 4 (corner of 75th Street and Lemont Road); Woodstock: Fireworks begin at dusk on July 4 in Emricson Park (900 South St.). The park opens 7 p.m.; Yorkville: The town is planning a July 4 celebration with a parade starting at 9 a.m. at Yorkville High School and ending at Town Square Park. Fireworks begin at dusk near the corner of Route 47 and Countryside Parkway; Email us to add a show to this list.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Yahoo
‘Andor' star Genevieve O'Reilly on her unlikely two-decade Mon Mothma journey: ‘I've closed the circle on her'
Andor actress Genevieve O'Reilly's Star Wars journey has been longer and more circuitous than most actors in the franchise, but what a payoff she received. The ethereal Rebel leader Mon Mothma was originally portrayed by actress Caroline Blakiston in Star Wars: Return of the Jedi. Though her appearance lasted less than 30 seconds, the character quickly became an iconic part of Star Wars lore. O'Reilly later stepped into the role in her 20s for Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith — a brief appearance as well, but one that laid the groundwork for her deeper involvement in the franchise later on. More from GoldDerby Tramell Tillman could make Emmy history as the first Black Best Drama Supporting Actor winner Kristen Kish dishes on Season 22 of 'Top Chef,' Emmys, and the show's global impact: 'It's all driven by the fans' Patricia Arquette's 'Severance' character talks like that because 'she thinks that's what power sounds like' Much to her surprise, O'Reilly returned to the franchise as Mon Mothma just over a decade later in a slightly more fleshed-out role for Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, accompanied by turns voicing the character for the animated series Star Wars Rebels. But those brief stints were just the amuse bouche for the gourmet feast that awaited the actress as Mon Mothma moved to the head of the table for Andor. The Chandrilan senator was given a sweeping backstory loaded with all the gravitas, sacrifice and subterfuge one could expect of an emerging Rebel hero; meanwhile O'Reilly was given her own epic opus as an actress. Attending an FYC event for the Disney+ series at the Writers Guild of America Theater in Beverly Hills, O'Reilly joined Gold Derby to reflect on her wildly unexpected two-decade tour of duty in the Rebellion (which has also continued forward in Ahsoka), including the challenging moments that tested her commitment as much as her character's. Lucasfilm/Disney Gold Derby: Is it too soon to lobby for a Mon Mothma series? From the end of this show to the end of , there's a lot of potential story still in there for her. Genevieve O'Reilly: I bet! Would you be excited if the right call came to pick this character up yet again? I mean, do you know what? It's been such a gift of a surprise for me to come back — and back — and Andor has been revelatory for me in regard to this woman. So, always! If we could go further, I don't know if that's possible because of what Andor has achieved, it's just extraordinary. But yes. You've participated in a lot of different projects. What did that mean to you to of be a part of what may be a whole new direction for a certain type of film or series? I can only speak from my perspective to the writing, to Tony [Gilroy] and all those writers and what they achieved, in regard to a depth of character, the depth of interaction. And I think something that Season 2 really achieved was by jumping that year every three episodes it allowed for a real specificity of character, a real specificity of this moment and who this is, which allowed for kind of big swings — swings of character. So that was really interesting to me, that you didn't have to carry the audience with you from one moment to the next. You could drop in and just reveal something quite different. Did you have any unanswered questions about Mon Mothma at the end of this, or are you pretty satisfied with what you do understand about her? I remember something when I started this so long ago, that there was something in Caroline Blakiston's performance [in Return of the Jedi] that I was really curious about, and what that pain was at the center of her. And I was always seeking that. And I feel like at the end of Andor I've kind of closed the circle on her. I understand her pain. I understand that personal trauma and that personal relationship to sacrifice the Rebellion much more. Tell me about when you got that very first call to pick up this character all those years ago, what your reaction was then? And now, when you're become truly the custodian of that character after all this time and really been the one who got to play the things that deepened her and filled out her mythology. Can you compare and contrast those moments? There're three big moments for me, actually. The first one was just getting that role when I was a very young actor and just being wide-eyed and just it was so extraordinary to step onto those sets and be a tiny part of that. The real interesting moment for me was when they called me to ask me to do Rogue One, because that was 10 years later. So much had happened in that time. They didn't have to ring. They didn't have to ask me, do you know what I mean? They kind of could have reached out to anyone at that point and that felt special. So I thought, 'OK, maybe I have something to offer here.' And then when Tony rang in regard to Andor, I mean he's such an extraordinary writer. He had such a vision for the piece and he really wanted to allow space for her to have a proper story, to have story time, narrative time, rather than just be an expositional force, which she was previously. What was the most challenging but perhaps the most gratifying day of work on for you? Yeah, that was the speech. Mon's speech. It took a day and it was extraordinary and that was so important to me. It was so important to me. I felt it was the fulcrum of who she is, really the center. I thought that everything else makes sense if she can land that, it was a real gift that he gave to me and trusted me with and, yeah, I brought everything I could to it. And I'm sure, too, the dance. The dance is her transition — now she's . There's blood in her hands at that point. And being able to release her physically was just everything, because it is a lens into character. And we'd never seen her move, we'd never really seen her outside of that calm that she has. So to be able to expose that trauma, that chaos, physically was so wonderful. Yeah, revelatory, I hope, for the audience, and also for me as an actor. 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